Dr. Michael Rickenach, FBI, Chemist

Dr. Michael  Rickenbach

Gatorade bottle found at crime scene

Syringe found at crime scene

Next witness is Michael Rickenbach of the FBI. He was given the Gatororade bottle and a syringe with     something inside. Ashton objects as these items have not been entered into evidence. (Procedural error) Sidebar. Rickenbach: Tested liquid in bottle of Gatorade, syringe. 
He received a carseat and a steering wheel cover.  They were retrieved from the Pontiac Sunfire. 

Steering Wheel Cover

Caylee's carseat

He was asked to test for chloroform . There was no chloroform present on the samples he tested. He did not test the entire items.  

CAYLEES DOLL

MR was given a doll. He tested Caylees doll for chloroform. It tested negative. 
Ashton> Didn't he have to test another doll for comparison.  MR states there was a small amount of chloroform present. It was not enough to evaluate. He took a co workers doll to test for chlorofom. There was A VERY small amount. present in the "control" doll. The control doll was not the same make and model of Caylees doll. The sample obtained from Caylee's doll was not enough to render an opinion per Dr. Rickenbach. 
Sidebar. (Cindy wiped the doll after she found the doll in the car. Did that destroy evidence)


Baez> A coworker has a doll that has chloroform on it? MR> Incorrect. I did not have enough evidence to render an opinion. He is not sure where the chloroform came from or produced with the heat they use. Baez asks if chloroform can be found in water. MR if it is high enough to detect. 
Sidebar.  Baez> per July report re: Gatorade bottle and syringe. MR was asked to identify liquids in bottle and syringe.  MR identifies the Gatorade bottle.  The liquid was whitish murky liquid. It was a mixture of cleaning products and testosterone. compounds.( FYI> you mix cleaning products to make chloroform) The syringe had testosterone compounds. MR is testing to the methodolgy of testing.  He tested low levels of chloroform. He did not render an opinion because of the low level . 


Ashton> You did not report chloroform found due to low levels found. MR> Right. The indication was it was cleaning products. Cleaning products contain chloroform.
Excused.